This application relates to a pet food dish and a support therefor, and an insect-free method for feeding pets. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved food dish intended for feeding dogs, and a method for feeding dogs so as to avoid ant infestation of food.
In the past, many different types of pet food dishes have been provided, but with a number of different drawbacks. Some prior food dishes are easily turned over by the pet or other animal, while other dishes allow crawling insects such as ants to get to the food in the dish. For such reasons, the prior art dishes have not gained widespread acceptance, and the most commonly used pet food dish is simply a bowl that contains the food.
In some parts of the country, where climates tend to be warmer, dogs are kept outdoors most of the year, but because of the climate, insects tend to proliferate. For this reason, when a conventional dish is used to feed a dog, ants tend to congregate around the pet food dish, making for an unsanitary and unhealthy condition for the pet. In many cases, the dogs must compete with the insects for the food.
One prior art attempt to overcome this problem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,905 to Carpenter. This patent
s a pet food dish which also contains water for the pet. The water forms a moat around the food dish so that in theory, the insects will not be able to reach the food. However, a problem with this type of feeder is that often the food will fall into the moat, either by the dog or when filling the dish, with the result that ants enter the moat, and then the food dish.
Another prior art feeder is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,441,003 to DuMond, et al, and provides a lower dish which contains an annular receptacle filled with an insecticide, and an upper receptacle filled with the food. However, such an arrangement places the food in close proximity to the food, increasing the likelihood that the pet would ingest some of the insecticide, particularly if the dish were turned over by the dog.
Still another prior device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,677,350 to Prestidge, et al, and provides a moat filled with an insecticide surrounding the food dish. The theory here is that the moat is only large enough for ants to enter, but not the pet. However, any rain would flush the insecticide out of its moat and onto the surrounding ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,080 to Haney discloses another animal feeder which has a wide base filled with water, and an upstanding post in the middle for supporting a food dish. The theory here again is that the water will keep the ants out of the food. However, this of course requires that the dish be filled at all times, while in reality, a pet drinks much water in warm weather, and evaporation causes a lot of water to leave the dish, and a dry or empty dish will readily allow ants to access the food dish. This same problem can also occur with some of the other prior art dishes referred to above.
The use of any conventional insecticide can present some inherent hazards to the animal or the pet owner, and even to the environment if the insecticide is spilled, such that the prior devices which use insecticides are simply not practical for safe use.
Some prior types of supports have included the use of an insecticide along with an elevated platform for food, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 533,017 to Peeler, but there is a great likelihood that a dog will upset such a device, whereby the food will be contaminated with the insecticide.
A further problem with the prior art pet food dishes resides in the problems associated with cleaning of the dishes. Certainly the pet food dishes must be washed regularly, but a large, cumbersome device leads to practical problems. For example, a large device might not fit into a standard dishwasher, with the result that the dish would not be washed as often as it should. Further, the complexities of some of the prior devices make it difficult to clean the device thoroughly.
These drawbacks in the prior art pet feeders have spawned may efforts, but no complete solutions to the problems mentioned.
The present invention seeks to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art devices, and the primary object of this invention is to provide a unique pet feeder which solves most of the problems with the prior art feeders.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for feeding pets such as dogs so as to keep ants and other insects away from the food.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pet feeder which is easily cleaned, sturdy and not likely to be turned over.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pet feeder which prevents ants and other crawling insects from reaching the food therein.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a pet feeder which includes an upright support and a feed dish removably attached thereto.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a pet food dish which includes a receptacle for a safe, nontoxic ant and insect barrier liquid.